VENGEANCE
by Mogo Girl
Summary: Sequel to REVENGE. Averitt is back and Derek is out for Vengeance! You'll want to read REVENGE 1st if you haven't already done so. M/G of course!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds_

_This story is a sequel to my story "REVENGE". It takes place about six months after that story. It would probably be helpful to read that one first if you have not already done so, there is a lot of background in that story about the unsub. _

**VENGEANCE**

Chapter 1

"_**Revenge is an act of passion; Vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged."**_

_**Samuel Johnson 1709-1784**_

_**Chapter 1**_

Penelope stood in front of the mirror running a finger over the scars on her chest. It had been almost six months since she had been kidnapped and tortured by Ben Averitt. The last six months had also, ironically, been the best and worst times of her life. After Derek and the BAU team had rescued her, Derek had confessed his feelings for her. Feelings she had been yearning to hear from him for a long time. Since the rescue, Penelope and Derek had been almost inseparable, their love and relationship growing every day. But at night, the nightmares would come and every morning, just like this morning, the memories of the kidnapping would surface as she saw the hourglass shaped carving that Averitt had left over her heart.

The doctors had offered to perform a skin graft and to cover the 'tattoo' but strangely enough Penelope had decided against it. In some ways, she derived a strength from it, seeing the hourglass as a symbol of the preciousness of life that she had left, one that she had fought so valiantly to keep, and as a symbol of the time that she and Derek would now have together. There were days that she cursed the scar but, for the most part, it was her reminder that life was meant to be lived to it's fullest and never taken for granted.

As she stood in front of the mirror, Derek walked up from behind and slid his arms around her waist. As it had been for most nights since the kidnapping, they had spent the previous night together, switching off between his apartment and hers. Placing a kiss on the top of her blonde head, he watched as her finger traced the wound. "Are you all right, Baby Girl?" he asked with concern as his eyes met hers in the mirror.

"I am now, My Love," she replied as she wrapped her arms over the top of his and leaned her head back into his chest. In silence, they stood locked in that position for several minutes, Penelope feeling protected and safe in Derek's arms and Derek experiencing a contentment he couldn't find anywhere else in the world.

The sudden ringing of Derek's cell phone jerked them back into the reality of the morning. "You get that Love Bug and I'll go get the coffee made," Penelope said as she turned and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Damn phones," Derek grumbled as he headed over to the night stand to get his cell. "Morgan", he answered succinctly.

"Derek, it's JJ. I need you and Penelope down here at the unit as soon as possible. We've got a case."

"Damn, we just finished a case JJ. We're supposed to be off for a few days, what gives?" Derek demanded to know.

"Derek, we think it's Averitt, we think he's surfaced in Ohio and, if we're right, he's responsible for a string of murders of women that's been happening there for the past four months," JJ explained knowing that the news would be devastating to both Derek and Penelope.

"Damn it!" Derek slammed his hand against the wall. "She's not ready for this JJ, she's still trying to come to terms with what happened six months ago."

"I know Derek, but we don't appear to have much choice in the matter," JJ sympathized. "And maybe, if we can get him this time, she can have some closure..she needs that."

"All right, JJ," Derek relented, "We'll be there in 30 minutes." Derek hung up the phone, wondering what he was going to tell Penelope. How was he going to explain to her that her nightmares were becoming reality and that the man she most feared in life was back?

"Derek?"

Derek jumped as he heard Penelope say his name. He turned to see her standing in the doorway of the bedroom looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"He's back, isn't he?"

Derek went over to her and took her in his arms. "Yes, Baby, he's back. They think he's in Ohio and that he has started killing. They want us to work the case."

Derek could feel as Penelope started trembling in his arms.

"Penelope, look at me," he said as he lifted her chin with his finger so he could look her in the eyes. "I'm right here and I promise, I will be here to keep you safe but we have to do this. We have to get the bastard once and for all and get him out of our lives for good so we can have our life together with no worries. You want that, don't you?"

"More than anything, Derek, but I won't lie to you, I'm scared. Not just for me, but for you, too." Penelope explained. "Don't forget he wants revenge against you, he just used me as the tool for that last time. This time he'll be looking to get you and I couldn't make it if anything happened to you. I can't survive my life without you in it."

Pulling her closer Derek proclaimed to her, "Nor I you Baby Girl. But I'll make you this promise right here and now, that's not going to happen. I love you so much, Penelope. I just want Averitt out of our lives so I can spend every day of the rest of my life proving that love to you." Pulling back from the embrace, Derek took his thumbs and wiped the tears from Penelope's cheeks. "Can you do this, Penelope? For me, for us?"

"As long as my Noir Hero is with me, I can do anything," Penelope said as she smiled up at her lover. "Let's go get this bastard out of our lives!"

_TBC_

_I hope you liked the start of this story. As always, please read and review and let me know what you think! _


	2. Chapter 2

_I still don't own Criminal Minds. _

_Thanks to everyone for the great reviews, story alerts, author alerts, etc. I'm so glad you are enjoying!_

Chapter 2

By 9:00 am the whole team was assembled in the conference room at the BAU.

"Penelope, before we get started I want to let you know that you can sit this one out if you need to. Everyone will understand," Hotch gently offered as he watched his computer tech take a seat at the table.

Taking a look at Derek for confirmation and then back to Hotch, Penelope replied, "Thanks Bossman, but I'm okay with this. As a matter of fact I need to be a part of this."

"We do have one request though, Hotch," Derek continued.

"Go ahead," Hotch prompted.

"I want her on the plane and on site with us for this one. I don't want her alone here at Quantico with that maniac running around," Derek demanded. "Not with what went down six months ago."

"I want that too, sir. I can set up a tech site at the hotel but I would feel safer if I was with the team on this one," Garcia finished looking expectantly at the stoic team leader.

"Actually, Garcia, that had already been decided on. I need Morgan's full attention on this case and I knew that wouldn't happen if we left you behind," Hotch explained. "Is your go-bag ready?"

"Yes, sir!" Penelope answered as she reached over and gave Derek's hand a squeeze.

"All right people, let's get down to business then, we have us an unsub to catch. JJ, tell us what we have," Hotch said as he turned the meeting over to the blonde media liaison.

Starting the video, JJ explained that the Cincinnati Police Department had requested help from the FBI on a series of five murders, all occurring over the last four months. Each victim had been female, blonde, and between the ages of 30 and 40. The first four victims had all been shot while the fifth had been strangled. Penelope shuttered involuntarily as pictures of each of the women were displayed on the screen.

"If there's been five murders, why are we just being called in now?" Emily inquired.

Freezing the video, JJ explained that while the first murder had occurred in the city limits, the next four had each taken place in a suburb of the city, one even taking place just across the Ohio River and state lines in a neighboring town in Kentucky.

"Different agencies were working the cases and they didn't realize that the murders were related until the fourth victim was found and one of the local cops ran the particulars through VICAP," JJ explained. "The fifth victim was found last night, after the Chief had contacted us."

"So how do we know for sure it's Averitt?" Derek asked.

"This," JJ pointed to the screen with the remote she held in her hand as a new image filled the screen. It was a split screen of all five victims' chests. Into each one an hourglass had been carved.

Penelope's hand instinctively went to her chest as the image flashed on the screen. Hearing Penelope's breath catch and seeing her reaction, Derek reached over and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Two things I don't understand," Rossi interjected. "One, why the strangulation? That's a new technique. And two, why Cincinnati? That's awfully close to Quantico relatively speaking. I would have thought he would have run much further, at least back to Chicago when he got away six months ago."

"JJ, what's the timing of the murders?" Hotch asked.

"The first took place about four months ago. The next three were each about a month apart and then, as I indicated earlier, the last victim was found last night." JJ informed the team.

"He's escalating" Emily chimed in. "If they found the last body last night it means it's only been a week since his last kill instead of the usual month."

"The strangulation is probably part of that escalation," Reid speculated. "It's a more personal, hands on approach. He's devolving and it's taking more and more stimulation for him to get satisfaction out of the kills."

"Damn, it's just like his brother all over again!" Derek said as he ran his hand over his head. "Bradley Averitt terrorized the women of Chicago for months before we caught him. Six women died at his hands."

"There is creedence to the theory that violence and serial killer tendencies can be genetic," Reid stated matter of factly.

"Yeah, but we also know there is more to this particular killer. I have a feeling part of the escalation may be part of a plan to get the BAU involved," Rossi interjected.

"He wants Derek…" Penelope said softly, finishing Rossi's thought.

"Well, he's going to get me!" Derek stated, his eyes flashing. "He better be careful what he asks for, he just might get it!"

"Derek, that's enough," Hotch stood, facing the rest of the team. "What we don't need right now is any hot-headed agents rushing in and someone getting hurt. I know this one is personal and I want Averitt as much as the rest of you but we are going to do this one by the book. Understood?"

Derek returned Hotch's stare but relented. He knew Hotch was right but he couldn't help feeling like he wanted to personally tear Averitt limb from limb for what he had done to Penelope. This one was personal, more so than anyone could imagine.

"All right let's focus," Hotch said. "This is a short plane ride so I'm giving out assignments now so we can hit the ground running. JJ, you and I will meet with the police chief. Derek, you take Penelope to the hotel and get her set up and then meet us back at the station. I don't want you at the crime scenes until we can get a location on Averitt. I can't have you being a target. Emily and Rossi, you need go to the latest crime scene and see what you can find out. Be careful, I don't need any of my other agents becoming targets either. We know Averitt isn't above using someone else to get back at Morgan. Reid, I want you working on victimology. See if you can find out how he's choosing the women, where he's meeting them. You can enlist Penelope's help once she's set up." Hotch started picking up files as he instructed, "Wheels up in 45 minutes."

As the team filed out of the room, Penelope held back and looked at the images on the TV screen.

Derek realized she wasn't with him as he got up to leave the room. "You okay, Mama?" he asked as he knelt down beside her chair.

"I think so," she sighed. "I guess the realization of it all didn't really hit me until I saw those photos. I just can't help feeling a little guilty that I survived and those women didn't."

Derek reached out and clasped Penelope's hands in his. "I thank God every day that you did, Baby Girl. You have no reason to feel guilty. You've always told me that everything happens for a reason, remember?"

"That's not fair, using my own words against me," Penelope said with a faint smile.

Derek chuckled and stood up, pulling Penelope up out of her chair with him. Pulling her close, he hugged her tight, wanting her to feel safe in his arms.

"C'mon Baby, let's go. You need to work your magic and help us save more women from this fate. That's your reason, you're still here because you have to help the others. We can't do this without you", Derek said as he gave her one last squeeze.

Penelope smiled as Derek took her by the hand and led her out of the conference room. He always knew what to say to make her feel better. She knew it would be a tough few days ahead, but he was right, they were all here for a reason and it was to do what they did best…Fight the good fight and prove that good does triumph over the evil in this world.

_TBC_

_I hope you have enjoyed. Hopefully chapter 3 will be up soon. Please keep the reviews coming, they keep me and the muse motivated! _


	3. Chapter 3

_I don't own Criminal Minds, CBS does…damn!_

_Hugs to all of my reviewers and alert placers! My muse is being a little stubborn, not leading me very well on this storyline so we'll see how it goes. Wish us luck _

Chapter 3

Within two and a half hours the team had landed in Cincinnati. The Police Chief had met them at the airport and had taken Reid, Hotch and JJ back to the police station to get them set up. Emily and Rossi were being escorted to the latest crime scene by some local detectives working the case and Derek and Penelope were headed to the hotel. Just to be safe, the Chief had assigned several extra officers to work the hotel to keep Penelope safe at that location.

"See, Baby Girl, you have nothing to worry about. You have a whole squad of Cincinnati's finest at your beck and call," Derek smiled at her.

"Ahh, but as much as I appreciate a man in uniform, there's only one man I want protecting this body, Hot Stuff," Penelope retorted giving Derek a quick wink as she carefully watched the hotel staff unload her babies from the SUV.

Chuckling as he followed her into the room where her computers were being set up he stood back and watched for a few minutes as Penelope directed the men on where every piece of equipment was to go. He was always in awe of her intimate knowledge of her babies and loved watching the pride she took in her work.

After the last piece of equipment had been set up, Derek walked over to Penelope and took her into his protective embrace. "I'm sorry Baby Girl," he said as placed a kiss on the top of her head, "but I've got to go and join the others. Remember, I'm just a phone call away and if you need anything, the officers are right outside your door."

"I know Derek," Penelope said as she gave him one last tight embrace before backing out of his arms. "I'll be fine, just go and do your profiler magic so we can catch Averitt and get on with our lives." She flashed him her most confidant smile, hoping Derek wouldn't worry too much about her.

As he turned to leave, he heard Penelope's phone ring. He smiled to himself as he heard her greeting, "Talk to me you cute little package of grey matter…", knowing it was Reid on the other end and that he could leave feeling she was safe, at least for the moment.

**At the crime scene:**

"So, have all of the bodies been dumped like this one, out in the open?" Emily asked as she studied the dead woman laying at her feet.

"No, the other four were recovered in abandoned warehouses, mostly discovered by homeless people seeking shelter," the police detective replied. "We thought it kind of strange that this one was found here in the alley, like maybe he was interrupted or something."

"I don't think so," remarked Rossi as he knelt down next to the body and examined the tattoo that had been carved into the woman. "This carving was done while she was still alive, just like he did with Garcia. You can tell by the amount of blood that she appears to have lost. So there should be a lot of blood around the dump site and I don't see any."

"Meaning…?" Emily prodded.

"Meaning that it looks like he was done with the torture process and he had probably already killed her before bringing the body here," Rossi observed.

"Are you saying he left her out in the open on purpose?" the detective asked.

"That would make sense," Emily explained. "He's wanting to get our attention and when he didn't think the BAU had been called in on the other four killings he needed to do something to make sure we would be brought in the case."

"That would explain the escalation in the time between the killings, too," Rossie mused as he stood back up. "He's getting impatient and is ready to finish with the revenge he tried to take out on Morgan six months ago."

"So now that you guys are here, does that mean the killing is going stop?" the detective asked hopefully.

"Just the opposite I'm afraid, detective," Rossi said with a shake of his head. "My bet is the escalation has just begun and he's probably on the verge of a spree. He'll want to show off for Morgan, torture him by killing more women right under his nose."

Having gathered all the information they needed, Rossi and Prentiss headed back to the police station. It was time to bring the police up to date on Averitt and to get them as much information as they could on him in hopes of finding him as soon as possible.

**Police Station: An hour later.**

"Chief, if you would gather all your officers, we're ready to talk to them about Averitt," Hotch instructed the chief as he headed out to round up the BAU team.

Once the officers had been assembled, Hotch began, "Thank you all for joining us here. As I'm sure you are aware, this case is a little different for us. Usually at this time we would be giving you a profile of an unsub, or an unidentified subject. However, in this instance we already know who the killer is; Ben Averitt, also known as, Ken Avery. About six months ago, Averitt took our computer analyst hostage as a method of trying to exact revenge against another member of our team, Derek Morgan," Hotch indicated Derek as he spoke. "At that time, we were unable to apprehend Averitt and he escaped but, thankfully, our analyst survived the attack. Now we believe that Averitt has returned in an attempt to finish what he started in Quantico and, unfortunately, has chosen your city in which to do so. I'm going to turn this over to Agent Morgan so he can give you some background on Averitt and give you some insight to his motive behind the killings," Hotch stepped back allowing Morgan to take over.

Derek proceeded to give the officers a complete recounting of Bradley Averitt's original killing spree in Chicago as well as a summary of Ben's kidnapping of Penelope. More than once, Derek had to stop and take a deep breath as he told of Penelope's experiences, not even realizing himself how fresh those memories still were and realizing, once again, how close he had come to losing her. When he was done, all he wanted to do was to go back to the hotel and hold her in his arms, but he knew there was still work to be done.

Once Derek was done, Reid took over the presentation. "I've been studying the victimology of the murders in Cincinnati, hoping we could get a grasp on how he's choosing these women. We know, clearly, that all of the victims are blonde, between the ages of 30 and 40 with a curvaceous build. What we don't know is where he is first making contact with them. After some research into the background of each woman, we have found that they are all single, well-educated and have medium to high paying jobs. Also, each body has been found between the hours of midnight and three a.m. This leads us to believe he is picking them up in the evening, possibly in a high-class bar or restaurant. Some place they may go after work. Pay special attention to those types of places and any reports of suspicious men hanging around or bothering the customers," Reid finished his explanation.

"We are counting on your knowledge of your city to help us locate Averitt," Emily spoke next. "We believe that he did not go back to Chicago because Agent Morgan is too familiar with that territory. He's hoping to keep us off balance by bringing us somewhere we aren't familiar with. Cincinnati is a good choice for him because it's not so large that his actions wouldn't be noticed, but on the other hand it's big enough for him to be able to hide in. Also, he knew that he was right on the state border of Kentucky and that communication between the two states' police agencies might be more complicated than just between neighboring cities."

"Pictures of Ben Averitt have been handed out to each of you, " Hotch resumed. "Our analyst has worked with a sketch artist to recreate what he looked like at the time of her abduction and you also have various other pictures of him from other time periods in his life that we were able to find. Be aware, he does change his appearance often from what we can tell." Hotch stepped back and nodded to the chief, indicating he was finished.

"So what do you think, Hotch?" Rossi asked as the officers dispersed. "Are we going to be able to find this asshole before he takes another victim?"

"I don't know, Dave, but for Morgan's sake, I sure hope so," Hotch answered as he watched Derek head off to a corner and pull out his cell phone. "I'm not sure how long he's going to hold up under these circumstances."

As soon as the briefing was over, Derek knew he needed to hear Penelope's voice. He had to make sure she was still okay. Reliving the nightmare of Penelope's kidnapping had really shaken him and now the reality of having more women tortured and killed all in the name of revenge against him was becoming overwhelming.

"Speak to me Oh Gorgeous Adonis of Mine," Penelope answered when Derek called.

"Hey Baby Girl, I just needed to hear your sexy voice," Derek smiled as he heard Penelope's voice coming through the phone. "Are you okay?"

"I'm wonderful, Sugar. How are you doing?" she asked softly.

"Better now, Penelope. Just hearing your voice makes my world a better place."

"Well then just wait until you get back here tonight and get to hold me in your arms!"

"I can't wait, Baby Girl. It may be late, we're going to try to follow up on some leads first," Derek said as he saw Hotch signaling for him to join the team. "I've gotta go, Pen. I love you."

"I love you too, Derek. Be safe, My Love and I'll be waiting for you." Penelope sighed as she hung up the phone. As glad as she was they were in the same city, at that moment, she still felt as if they were miles apart. Closing her eyes, she said a quick prayer, _Please let this end quickly and keep Derek and the rest of my family safe." _As she opened her eyes, a shudder ran through her body and a great sense of foreboding took over her heart. Somehow, she knew that even prayer might not be enough to get them through this one.

_TBC_

_So my muse came through and got me through anther chapter. I'm beginning to feel this might be an epic story at the rate I'm going but I'll try to keep it moving along. As always, please let me know what you think and please, please, please leave reviews. I love all your suggestions and try to incorporate the ones I can! _


	4. Chapter 4

_Still don't own them…_

_Thanks again for the great reviews and suggestions. Keep them coming! It keeps my muse from getting too lazy _

Chapter 4

After what had proven to be a very long day, Penelope set her babies to 'hibernate' and headed up to the room to try and get some rest. It was after one in the morning and Derek and the team still had not returned to the hotel for the night. As she left her temporary office, two police officers stepped in behind her and took the elevator with her up to the room she and Derek were sharing.

"Thanks, guys. Sorry I won't be asking you in for a drink," She teased as she unlocked her door and watched as they both took their posts on the hall for the night, neither one cracking a smile. "Wow, I could have at least gotten a goon squad with a sense of humor," she muttered as she entered the dark room and reached for the light.

As the lights came on, Penelope stood paralyzed in fear as she took in the horror of the scene in front of her. Blood was splattered everywhere; the walls, the bed, the floor. Dozens of black rose petals had been strewn around the room and a display of photographs of the five dead women had been taped to the far wall. A sixth photograph of only a chalk outline of a woman's body on the floor of a similar hotel room hung with them. On the adjacent wall drawn in blood was an hourglass with most of the sand run out of it. The words 'Your Time is Coming" were written below it, also in blood.

Penelope had no idea how long she stood there before the screams that were going off in her head finally made it to her vocal chords and she screamed out in terror.

Derek and the team had just returned to the hotel, none of their leads having panned out, when they stepped off of the elevators and heard Penelope's screams. Ice ran through Derek's veins as he automatically drew his weapon and ran towards the horrifying sound.

As the team reached the door, Hotch placed himself to the left of it, with Rossi to the right. Derek jumped directly in front of the closed door and without a moment's hesitation, kicked it in.

As the door flew open, Penelope screamed louder in reaction and Derek quickly scanned the room and then ran to her and grabbed her into his arms, enfolding her into his chest. "You're ok, Baby Girl, I've got you." he tried to soothe as the screams continued to flow from her. 'C'mon, I'm getting you out of here, " Derek said as he glanced in horror at room around him. Holding her tightly and keeping her head down, he led her out into the hallway, trying to shield her from the images that she knew had already been burnt into her mind.

Once in the hallway, Derek immediately pulled back from Penelope and looked her up and down. He had to make sure none of the blood had come from her. "Are you all right, Baby? Are you hurt?" he asked as he looked into her frightened eyes.

"No, I don't think so. I just came into the room and turned on the light and…" Penelope couldn't finish as sobs took her over and she began to fall as her knees buckled under her. Derek caught her and gently sat her down on the floor. "Stay with me Baby Girl," Derek urged as he gently pulled her close again.

JJ knelt down beside them, "Is she okay?" she asked with concern.

"Physically, yeah, but she can't take much more of this JJ," Derek answered as he listened to Penelope's crying and felt her trembling in his arms. "JJ, can you stay with her for a minute, I've got to go back in there and try to find something that will tell us where this bastard is so I can put a stop to this here and now!"

"Don't leave me, Derek" Penelope pleaded.

"It's okay, Penelope, I'm only five feet away, I' promise. JJ's here, honey." Derek stood as he watched JJ sit down next to Penelope and take her hands in her own. He vowed to himself, right then and there, he would get Averitt no matter how long it took or what he had to do. Averitt would pay for the damage he had done to Penelope Garcia, and he would pay with his life if Derek had anything to say about it.

_TBC_

_Sorry for the short chapter but it just seemed like a good place to end it. I've already started on the next one so it should be up soon! Please R&R. _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"How the hell?..." Emily couldn't even finish her question as she stared at the room.

"I don't know, but I'm sure as hell going to find out!", Hotch said in disgust as he headed out of the room to find the officer in charge of surveillance at the hotel.

'The blood is fresh, I don't think this was blood saved from the other kills,' observed Reid as he examined the writing on the wall.

"Are you thinking, there's another body we haven't found yet?" asked Rossi as he came up behind Reid.

"It's quite possible. Perhaps the missing body in that last picture. We knew he was going to escalate, just not to this level and this fast."

Hotch came back into the room, a scowl on his face. "They saw nothing!" he spat out. "The surveillance cameras had been tampered with and a false video feed had been looped through the system, making them think everything was normal."

"So we have nothing?" Emily asked. "No way of knowing how he came or went?"

Morgan had come into the doorway and was watching the team as they tried to assess the situation. How had it come to this? Why hadn't he just gone after Averitt himself six months ago?

He knew that Penelope couldn't stand to go through any more trauma and he realized that he was almost at his breaking point as well. He also saw that going through "official law enforcement channels" wasn't going to work and if this son of a bitch was ever going to be caught he would have to be given what he wanted…Derek Morgan. _"And that's exactly what he's going to get." _thought Derek as a plan developed in his mind.

Leaving the doorway, he went back over to JJ and Penelope. Crouching down in front of Penelope he reached out and pushed an errant strand of her golden, blonde hair out of her eyes, "Hey Baby Girl, how you doing?" he asked her tenderly.

"I don't know, Derek. Why is he doing this to us? Why won't he just leave us alone?"

"Because of me, Baby, but I'm going to fix this, I promise." Derek stated with conviction. Looking deep into her eyes, he felt as if he was seeing into her broken soul and it was a look he never wanted to have to see in her again.

"I'm going to leave you with JJ for just a little longer, but when I come back, I promise, all will be taken care of and you'll be safe, Princess." Derek leaned forward and placed a loving kiss on Penelope's mouth, holding her face in his hands, trying to drink in all of the tastes and smells of her that he could.

"Where are you going, Derek? What are you going to do?" Penelope questioned as he pulled away from her and stood.

"Derek, don't do something stupid", he heard JJ say but by that time he was already halfway down the hallway, headed for the stairs.

"Hotch!", he heard JJ call to the team leader as the stairwell door closed behind him. He would be gone before they had a chance to figure out what was happening. Derek knew it was time to make things right and to stop Averitt from ever hurting his Baby Girl or anyone else ever again, no matter the cost. He just hoped that when all was said and done, he would be there in person to hold Penelope in his arms and let her know all was safe again.

_TBC_

_My muse is working overtime today! Two chapters in one day but I know they are both short. Hope you are enjoying. Please R&R! I would love feedback on what you think Derek's plan should involve, I have ideas but input is always appreciated! Hopefully more soon. _


	6. Chapter 6

_Nope, I still don't own Criminal Minds, though my muse keeps trying to steal them for me. _

_Just a note, the museums I mention in this chapter are real. As for any other locations, those are purely my imagination. Enjoy!******_

Chapter 6

"Gone? What the hell do you mean he's gone?" Hotch demanded to know.

"He just told Garcia he was leaving and when he got back everything would be taken care of," JJ tried to explain to her enraged boss. "Then before we knew what was going on he flew down the hall and out the stairwell door."

"You've got to find him, Hotch!" Penelope pleaded through her tears. "I just know something is going to happen to him if we don't", Emily leaned over and put her arm around Penelope to try and keep her calm.

"Damn it, Aaron! He's gone off to try to fight his own battles, this can't be good," Rossi snarled as he paced the hallway.

"This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. I knew I should have made him step back from this case," Hotch said.

"Well you know as well as I do that would have never happened, Aaron. Just like you won't step away from Foyet. He's out for vengeance and he'll do whatever it takes to protect Penelope and the rest of us for that matter." Rossi observed with a tinge of pride in his voice. He didn't agree with Derek's methods, but he understood them.

"So what do we do now?" Reid asked.

"We find him!" Hotch said matter of factly. "Penelope, I know this has been hard on you but I need your help to find Derek, are you up to it?"

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Penelope knew it was time to step up when the team, and Derek, needed her the most. "Anything you need, Hotch, if it will help get him back safely."

"Good. Reid, you and JJ take Penelope back to her computers. I need you to delve back into the old case in Chicago. Find out all you can about Bradley Averitt and his personal habits. Also, anything about Bradley and Ben's childhoods. Evidently Derek thinks he has an idea of where Averitt might be, maybe there is some clue to that in the past."

"It's not much to go on, Hotch" Emily pointed out.

"No, it's not, but for right now it's all we got."

Derek knew he should have never left without at least informing Hotch and the others about his plans but he was also certain that if he had, Hotch would have never let him go. His idea was a long shot but if it meant keeping Penelope safe, he had to take the chance. He refused to watch this woman who had become the center of his world suffer any more for something she had nothing to do with in the first place. This was his fight, not hers, and it was time to make sure he was the one carrying the scars of the battle.

Since the day before when they had arrived, Derek had been plagued by the question of why Cincinnati? The question had been partly answered with the explanation Emily had given the officers the previous afternoon, size and proximity to state lines. However, something had been nagging at Derek, saying it was more than that. As the team worked around town with the officers, Derek noticed something else that jogged his memory.

Cincinnati was a town with a lot of museums, The Art Musuem, The Taft, Union Terminal, The Contemporary Arts Center, The Freedom Center and more. While working the original case back in Chicago, he remembered learning that Ben and Bradley had pretty much raised themselves as kids. Their father had split when they were both young and their mother worked, often several jobs, and wasn't home very much. To keep themselves busy, the boys would often spend their time at museums. It was an interest that stayed with them through adulthood. Bradley had taken an interest in film history and often sought out such exhibits. It was one of the reasons he had sent black and white films of his victims to the media.

Jumping into a cab, Derek asked the driver if he knew of a place with all night computer access. He needed information off the internet and since he couldn't call Penelope or the team for help, he would have to find it himself. The driver informed Derek of an all-night internet café and coffee shop he was familiar with and took him there.

Once online, Derek began searching for information on all of the local museums. He knew that Averitt was hiding himself somewhere during the day and a museum seemed like the most logical choice. Now, if he could just figure out which one.

Derek had been researching for hours when he finally found what he was looking for. The Union Terminal Museum was currently hosting a touring exhibit of old movie memorabilia and during the day was having showings of several old black and white films. _"That's gotta be it!"_, Derek excitedly thought to himself. He checked the schedule and saw that multiple films were set up to be playing throughout the day. The first movie of the day was to be "Some Like It Hot," starring, among others, Marilyn Monroe. _"I've got you, now Averitt. I'd bet my soul you'll be at that showing." _The museum opened its doors at 9:00 am and the movie was scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m.

Derek looked at his watch, it was 6:30 am. He decided to have a few more cups of coffee to keep him awake and planned to be at the museum when the doors opened so he could have a good look around and be there when Averitt showed up.

It was getting near dawn and Penelope and the rest of the team hadn't felt they had made much progress. Hotch had ordered the police to keep a look out for Derek and to bring him back if they found him but they had come up empty. Garcia was ready with a trace on his cell phone and credit cards, but so far, Derek hadn't used either. Penelope was in a near panic, fearing the worst.

As dawn quickly approached, Reid ran into Garcia's temporary office yelling, "I've got something!"

"What is it Reid?" Hotch quickly asked.

"Earlier we tried tracing the cab companies figuring Derek had needed some form of transportation around the city.,,"

"Yeah, but that didn't pan out, none of the drivers said they picked him up," Emily said.

"You're right," Reid continued, "but we only checked with cab companies, not individual owner/operators of which there are evidently quite a few around here. So, on a whim I asked the hotel concierge if he knew of any private cabbies around here and he did….I found the guy who picked Morgan up not far from here a few hours ago!"

"Reid, you ARE a genius!" Penelope said as she stood and hugged the young agent.

"Where did he take him, Reid?" Rossi asked.

"Well that's the strange thing. He said that Morgan was inquiring about someplace he could get access to a computer and the internet so he dropped him off at an all night internet café."

"All right, good work Reid. Let's get over to that internet café. Penelope you're coming with us. Maybe we can get on that computer and figure out what he was looking for." Hotch ordered as the team headed out to the SUV's.

It was 9:45 and Derek had been inside of the museum since it opened. Immediately upon entering he had tried to make himself as familiar with the building as possible. However, the Art Deco museum had originally been built as a train station and was huge. There were several floors, including the underground terminals where the trains had once come and gone. Making matters worse were the numbers of visitors that were milling around. Union Terminal was a big tourist attraction, not to mention the school groups that were often in attendance.

Morgan wasn't sure how this was going to all end. He would just have to do the best he could to lure Averitt to a deserted part of the building if at all possible. Of course, first he had to find him. Derek had positioned himself in a spot where he could see the ticket sales for the movies. He prayed that Averitt wouldn't spot him but figured he had the element of surprise on his side. Averitt wouldn't expect him to be there.

At exactly 9:55, Averitt entered the building and bought his ticket. Derek would have sworn that Averitt could have heart his heart pounding in his chest from 20 feet away. Derek watched as his target entered the theater. It took all he had not to jump him right there, but this wasn't the place. Patiently he waited until the movie had started and the theater was dark. He entered the theater and sat in the very back row. Letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, Derek searched until he had located the back of Averitt's head. His target was in sight! Luckily the theater was not very crowded, only about 20 people were scattered throughout the audience.

Derek instinctively felt for his gun that he had put into his ankle holster. He hadn't wanted to draw attention to himself by wearing it on his belt. Feeling secure that he knew where his weapon was, he sat back to wait for the moment to make his move on Averitt.

_TBC_

_I hope you liked it. Sorry to leave you hanging but I figured the final confrontation deserved a chapter all of it's own. So it's coming next, I promise!!!! Please R&R and let me know what you think!_


	7. Chapter 7

_I don't Criminal Minds._

_Sorry for the wait on this chapter but life, work and snow kept getting in the way. Thanks for all the reviews, I love hearing from you! Just a quick note, as I said earlier, the Union Terminal Museum is a real place in Cincinnati. However, I have taken liberties with the inside layout and the old train station areas as I have never been in the basement areas and don't know what they look like. Please forgive me for any inaccuracies. Thanks. _

Chapter 7

About 50 minutes into the movie, Derek watched as Averitt stood and left his seat in the auditorium. Instead of heading back towards the main entrance, he walked to the front of the theater and slid out of the fire exit door to the left of the screen. Derek knew it was time to make his move. He waited 30 seconds, drew his weapon, and followed.

* * *

"What have you got ,Penelope?" Hotch asked as he leaned over the back of her chair. Penelope had been searching the history on the computer that Derek had used in the internet café, trying to find a clue to his whereabouts.

"Well evidently Derek has been listening to me when I talk to him about computers, sir. He wiped the history clean on both the browser and hard drive before he left."

"Are you telling me you can't find what he was looking at on the internet?" Hotch asked with a worried expression on his face.

"Absolutely not, oh ye of Little Faith," Penelope grinned. "I haven't taught him all my secrets! It just took me a few minutes instead of a few seconds to find the list." With that, Penelope hit a few keys on the keyboard and a listing of websites appeared on the screen.

"They all appear to be websites of local museums," Reid observed as he peered at the screen.

"Hey, when we were looking into the Averitt brothers' pasts back at the hotel, wasn't there something about Bradley being an old movie memorabilia buff?", Emily asked.

"Yep and I've already made the connection," Penelope declared. "Derek spent most of his time on the site for the Union Terminal Museum and they just happen to have such an exhibit going on right now. They are also showing old black and white movies."

"How far is this place from here?" Rossi inquired.

"According to this, only about 2 miles, down near the train yards," Penelope answered.

"Let's go!" Hotch ordered. "Penelope, I don't think you should come, this could be dangerous. I want you to go back to the station with the Chief. As soon as there is word of anything, we'll let you know, I promise."

"Hotch?" Penelope stopped him before he turned to leave. "Do me one favor, please?"

Hotch looked into her pleading eyes and nodded once in agreement.

"When you find him, tell him I said vengeance is already ours, we have our love and that's all I need. Don't let him do anything he'll regret later."

Hotch reached over and took Penelope's hand in both of his and gave it a quick squeeze before turning around and following the others out to the SUV.

As much as she wanted to run out the door after the team, Penelope knew that Hotch was right. She wasn't equipped for what they might be walking into. She had done all that she could and now would have to hope that it was enough. "_Please, My Love, listen to your heart, I'm there with you. Be careful and come back to me, I'll be waiting,"_ Penelope sent her thoughts to Derek, knowing they were connected by something more than just love, she was sure her message would somehow reach him.

* * *

The exit from the auditorium had led into a long, dark hall that headed downward into the bowels of the museum. Luckily, Derek's sight was already adjusted to the darkness and he was able to make his way down the corridor fairly quickly. Every so often, Derek would stop and listen. He could hear Averitt's footsteps echoing ahead of him and was able to stay just out of sight of his target.

Finally, after about a five minute trek, Derek heard a door open and close in front of him. When the door opened he felt a rush of cold air hit him as if the door led to the outside. Derek made it to the door and took a deep breath, he had no idea what he was walking into and if Averitt would be waiting for him on the other side. On the other hand, he also knew that hesitating could cause him to lose Averitt again, something he wasn't willing to do.

Cracking open the door, he looked around the edge of the door and took a quick look around. The door led to the old train tracks that came in under the station. It was the old platform where passengers would have boarded the trains many years ago. Beyond the platform, laid four sets of train tracks. Looking to his right, Derek saw an old abandoned train engine parked on one of the sets of tracks. A sound to the left caught his attention and he looked just in time to see Averitt walking down the tracks towards the exit of the tunnel. He saw no one else around.

Taking a deep breath, Derek knew now was the time. Suddenly, a sense of calm came over him and a picture of Penelope flashed in his mind. "_I love you, Baby Girl," _he said silently, knowing that somehow, a connection had been made. '_I'll be back soon."_

Derek ran to the edge of the platform, jumped onto the tracks and with gun drawn shouted, "Averitt! I think you've been looking for me."

Hotch and rest of the team arrived at the museum just minutes after leaving Penelope. It was almost 11:00 am and much to the chagrin of the team, the museum was crowded with tourists and children. Luckily, the Police Chief had been able to phone the museum security office and let them know that the BAU team was on their way.

A security officer met Hotch at the entrance. "Sir, nice to meet you. I'm Officer Taylor. The Chief phoned. I think you got here just in time."

"What do you mean, 'just in time'?" Rossi questioned the officer.

"I think we know where your man is," the officer explained. "Just about 10 minutes ago, we had a fire door open off one of the theaters where we are showing a movie. The door has a silent alarm on it that triggers into our security offices whenever it is opened. After what the Chief told us, it sounds like the man your agent was after might have left first. A few moments later the door opened again, I figure that was the Agent following him out."

"Where does the door lead?," Hotch asked.

"Down to the platforms of the old train station and then the tunnel leads to the outside from there," Officer Taylor informed the team. "If we can get back into your vehicle, I can get you down to the entrance of the tunnel from the outside. I already have officers covering the door they went through onto the platform in case they circle back and I have other units headed down to the tunnel to see if we can block that off as well."

"Let's go!" Hotch said as the team loaded back into the black SUV.

Averitt stopped and turned as he heard Morgan call his name. The two adversaries were now standing approximately 100 feet apart on the train tracks, facing each other; Derek with his gun aimed directly at Averitt's head.

"Well, well, well," Averitt said with a smirk. "Fancy meeting you here, Detective Morgan."

"Yeah, fancy that, asshole. What's the matter, Averitt, you weren't enjoying the movie?" Derek challenged.

"Ah, I thought that was you behind me," Averitt replied. "So tell me, Morgan, how's your own little Marilyn Monroe doing? Has she been enjoying the little momento I left her with? And the flowers I left last night, did she enjoy those, too?"

Derek's blood boiled hearing Averitt talk about Penelope. "Don't you worry about her, she survived your little stunts and is stronger for it…which is more than I can say for you, Averitt."

"What? Are you planning on shooting me too, just like you did my brother, Detective Morgan?" Averitt shook his head. "I should have known you had something so unimaginative planned but I must tell you, I would advise against it."

"I'm sure you would Averitt. You want to give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now?" Derek asked as he stared Averitt down, never lowering his weapon.

"I just thought you might like to know where the other bodies are."

"What the hell are you talking about? What bodies?" Derek demanded to know.

"Tsk, tsk, you evidently weren't paying attention to my room decorations last night. Didn't you see the picture without a body? You're not much of a profiler are you? Of course I knew that already, or else you wouldn't have let all of those other women die. How guilty you must feel about that." Averitt taunted.

"I saw it, you bastard. That was only one picture…you said bodies."

"You didn't think all of that blood came from just one person did you? Of course there's more than one. I was saving them for later but I see there's no need for that now. If you'll put that gun down, maybe I'll think of telling you where they are…if you're lucky, one of them might still be alive."

"MORGAN!", Derek watched as Hotch appeared out of the darkness behind Averitt. Soon he could see the outline of the rest of the team as they approached, all with guns drawn.

"Step back, Hotch. This is my fight! He's mine!" Derek sternly told his boss.

"Derek, I know you don't want to hear this, but he's right. We need him alive so we can find the others. If you kill him, it's going to change the rest of your life. Think about this." Hotch urged.

His determination cracking slightly, Derek's gun wavered but he yelled back, "Hotch, I have to do this, for Penelope, for what he put her through. I can't let him get away with that, she deserves to see him pay for what he did!"

"Yes, but not this way, Derek. She gave me a message for you, Derek. She said to tell you that your love was the only vengeance she needed and the only thing she wanted was you to come back to her safely. We've got him, he's not getting away this time."

Tears came to his eyes, as he realized that Hotch was right. As much as he wanted to he couldn't kill Averitt in cold blood. He couldn't reduce himself to the killer's level. Slowly lowering his gun, he felt his knees begin to buckle and fell to his knees from exhaustion as he watched Rossi, Emily and the officers place Averitt into custody.

Hotch approached his beleaguered agent and gently removed the weapon from Derek's hand. Putting an arm around his shoulder he lifted him back to standing and led him towards the exit of the tunnel. "C'mon, there's someone that really needs to see you right now."

As they passed where the officers were handcuffing Averitt, Derek paused, "Hang on, Hotch, there is one thing I gotta do."

"Derek…" Hotch warned.

Before anyone could do anything, Derek turned and landed his fist right between Averitt's eyes, throwing him back against the police car, leaving him with blood spouting from his nose.

"All right, Hotch. Let's go see my Baby Girl." Derek turned and walked back to the SUV as the team all stood watching with smiles on their faces.

* * *

After several long hours of interrogation, Averitt was finally giving up the information that the police needed to find the other women. There had been 3 others, two of them dead, and one near dead when they found her but she would survive. Averitt would be transferred to a maximum security facility where he would await trial in which they would ask for the death penalty.

After the 36 hours they had spent in Cincinnati, the team was exhausted but had decided on returning home that night. Derek and Penelope sat cuddled up on the couch on the plane as the other's read or worked on their reports in silence. Since returning to the station, Penelope and Derek hadn't left each other's sight or touch for that matter.

"Have I told you how much I love you, Baby Girl?" Derek whispered into her ear.

"Not in the last five minutes, Handsome. You're falling down on the job." Penelope giggled.

Cupping her chin in his hand, he turned her face towards his and leaned down and placed his lips on hers. As the kiss deepened, they heard Reid yell from the back of the plane, "Hey you two, get a room or something." The rest of team laughed as Penelope pulled back from the kiss, a deep blush on her cheeks.

"Now that's a good idea Boy Wonder. We'll do that, just as soon as we get back," Derek retorted as Penelope slapped him on the arm.

A few minutes later, Hotch came back and sat across from the two lovebirds. Looking at Derek, he stated seriously, "We need to talk."

"Yeah, I guess I knew this was coming," Derek said as he sat up and ran his hand over his head.

"Derek, what you did was stupid and if you ever pull anything like that again, there will be some serious consequences."

"But sir,…", Penelope began but Hotch cut her off before she could plead Derek's case any further.

"Let me finish, Garcia. Derek, I, of all people understand where you were coming from. I know what it's like to want to protect your family and the ones you love. So, for that reason, I'm letting this one slide."

"Thanks, Hotch." Derek said with a sigh of relief.

"But I want you to remember one thing, Derek. Because we are your family, you also have to learn to let us help you, especially when you need it most. That's what we're here for. We work as unit, understood?" After a few moments, a slight smile crossed Hotch's face as he said "As you were" and headed back to his own seat.

Turning back towards Penelope, Derek flashed her a smile and took her back into his arms. "He's right Baby Girl, I need someone to look after me and keep me in line. Someone I know will always be there to help me when I need it."

"That's what I'm here for Sweetness" Penelope told him as she looked into his dark brown eyes.

"What do you say we make it official then?"

"Derek, what do you mean, 'official'?" Penelope asked tentatively.

"Marry me, Baby Girl. I know this is not the most romantic place I could have asked you but it feels right, here with the rest of our family around us. Tell me you'll marry me and make me the happiest man alive."

"Oh, Derek, of course I will!" Penelope screamed with delight as she fell into his arms and the rest of the team cheered as they came forward to congratulate the happy couple.

THE END.

_I hope you liked my story and the way it ended. Please R&R and let me know what you thought. Hopefully, my muse will awaken and another story will develop soon_


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